


Interwoven

by ishipzalldathings



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: Character Death, F/F, F/M, Gen, Minor Character Death, Ownership, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 14:01:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30090186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishipzalldathings/pseuds/ishipzalldathings
Summary: Ares made a bet with Artemis over a hundred years ago and now innocent Amazons are paying the price. Ephiny is brought before the fates and shown all that she has missed and more.
Relationships: Ares/Ephiny, Gabrielle/Xena





	Interwoven

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Talks of death, ownership, and it only gets more angsty in chapter 2

* * *

In her early life, she did many questionable things. It left her wondering if she would see eternity, her warrior path uncertain. When she died, she could see the volcano before her and felt a sudden rush of nervousness. Would it open for her? Would her family be there to greet her? Her mother, grandmother, Solari?

The gate opened, and when she peered inside, she could see a vast forest. Amazon's running, children playing, and then she spotted a group of figures making their way towards her. Emotions overwhelmed her when her mother's face became clear, "Mama." She wasted no more time and rushed in, but as she entered, her mother's face started to fade. "Mama!"

"Ephiny!" Torn from eternity, hand outstretched, and then everything went black. She found herself in a void, no warmth, no cold, nothing.

"Queen Ephiny, I don't believe we had the pleasure," Standing in front of her was Ares, the god of war; she never met him, but she knew who he was.

"No, I don't believe we have, and I don't think we will."

"You look upset and confused," His sword rested in its scabbard on his hip, hands rested on its hilt as he circled around her. "Let me fill in the blanks." He told her about a bet made between him and Artemis, two hundred souls on the table, and she lost.

"Why would she make bets with the god of war?"

"Gods like making bets. Some of my family are good at it, and some are not. Artemis should stick with hunting and the moon. The bet was made over a hundred years ago, and she's learned her lesson."

"Why me?"

"You have a fire and prowess about you. You stood against Rome for two years and held your ground without northern support. You beat part of Pompey and Caesar's army, and you did it with a resilience rarely seen. You bathe in your enemies' blood and relish it, and I find that arousing."

"Lucky me," Ephiny's anger was all over her face; she did not try to hide it. "And if I refuse you?" Ares stopped his circling and stood before her with a smile.

"I'm afraid you don't get that choice. Willing or not, your soul belongs to me," Ares pointed to the ground with a smile, "down." The amusement on his face when she started to obey only angered her more. She could feel the pull of his power on her very soul, and she fought it with all she had. "I want you to understand something," One knee gave out from underneath her and then the other, "Your soul may be mine, but your body will always be your own. I want you to want me, and it's clear you do not- not yet." Crouching down, he cupped her face and just held her gaze. "What I can offer you is power, the power to strengthen your fellow amazons and prepare them for the slaughter."

"Slaughter?"

"For you, no time has passed, but I held your soul between life and death for some time now. I had no need for you until this moment, and now your purpose has come. I want to show you something," In a flash of light, they traveled a great distance. They were now standing in the temple of the fates in a chamber she only heard tales of. "Behold, the Tapestry of Fate." She felt drawn to it and slowly made her way towards it. Just before she lifted a hand, Ares stopped her, "The known world is not for you, but I do want to show you something." He pressed a kiss to her shoulder before turning her to the side, his mouth right against her ear. "well, my sisters have something to show you."

Three hooded women stood before her in simple robes. The thread of fate, time, and destiny ran between their fingers.

"Welcome, Queen Ephiny…"

"...daughter of Fara…"

"...regent of telaquire…"

"...and Artemis' chosen." They spoke the last line in unison.

"Chosen?" It took Ephiny by surprise; she was not anyone's chosen. Gabrielle was the rightful queen of her tribe. She, as stated, was just the regent. "You are mistaken, I hold-" Ephiny took a step back when the sister's eyes bore into her.

"We do not make mistakes." Once again together, this time more forceful. They looked back down at the thread; even when they looked upon her, their hands never stopped.

"I'm sorry, of course; it's just-"

"Gabrielle may be…"

"...queen, but you are…"

"...Artemis chosen."

"She will come..."

"...this was not…"

"...agreed upon, brother." The war gods' jubilant features now darkened as his sisters spoke a warning.

"save it and continue with what we discussed. Leave our little sister to me and focus on the task at hand."

"Very well, brother..."

"...you have been…"

"...warned." When a moment of silence passed, Ares got impatient.

"Show her, now."

"Patience…"

"...brother."

"We gather."

"Gather what?" Ephiny did not know what any of this meant. She didn't understand what she was doing here, but here she was and in front of the fates no less.

"The passage of time…"

"...life that has come…"

"..and gone." The sisters had stayed in the same stance since Ephiny entered the temple. Hands never left the threads, eyes only wandering away for a moment. She watched as Atropos broke free from the line, but her hand stayed connected, trailing along the threads of life. Each finger running along as if playing a beautiful melody. "Follow me," She did not hesitate and followed after Atropos as she weaved in and out of the threads. Ephiny took notice of the large spools of fate along the temple walls. Thick threads of multiple colors, woven into the stone that broke from it and connecting each spool. The patterns told a story that she did not understand, but she understood it was beyond her grasp. She couldn't help but wonder how deep the spools ran? "Infinite," Was the only response to her unspoken question as Atropos turned a corner.

"As a child, I danced along halls like these. Pretending to be a weaver of fate."

"And willed yourself to be the protector of your village?"

"Yes."

"And here you are."

"I failed."

"You are wrong," Ephiny's first instinct was to argue but decided it was better to hold her tongue. "How have you failed?"

"I died, and my tribe-"

"Live on, fight with new vigor, and prosper under a new queen. They do this in your name, to a queen they respected and continue to honor." She did not think of it that way; she never could accept her title of queen. She did not earn it. It was Gabrielle's title that she held onto while she was away. "Your sisters respect Gabrielle, but you hold their hearts. They looked to you in her absence and followed your lead."

"They followed because Gabrielle commanded it."

"They followed because they respected your decisions. If not, someone would stand against you and challenge your position." Ephiny had been so focused on Atropos she forgot Ares was there. "You are the true leader in their eyes."

"And you care why?"

"Contrary to popular belief, I like the amazons."

"I know the way you speak of." Ephiny wanted to smack the smile right off his smug face.

"I have come to know many amazons in my time. Just know, they came to me willingly after I expressed my interest."

"Good for them." Ephiny turned back to Atropos, who had taken the time to attach two large cylinder coils around her wrists, which were attached to the tapestry. She wore them like two large bracelets, Elbows tucked in and hands facing left and right as they walked. She was now attached to the thread without holding on, "always connected."

"Yes, I need my hands for this next part." The old script above the archway was far older but familiar.

"Tretomlic, our ancestors?" Atropos tips her head forward in a nod.

"Yes, time is the same to us, and I forget mortals lose history over it. Allow me," Atropos pulled a large bolt of tapestry down from the corner. Her sisters now joined her with similar coils around their wrists.

"Come," Lachesis took Ephiny's hand and placed it upon the threads. Images of an old life played behind her eyes.

"Long before you were amazons, you were the tretomlics—nomads who lived in the wilderness with men and your children." The voice changed to that of Lachesis.

"You were a society that suffered great losses and became a strong village of women. Forever connected to a single ruler from a new land, her name was Cyane."

"But she was opposed by a warrior," Before Clotho could continue, Ephiny fell backward as a fierce warrior's face came into view, screaming rage as she brought down a club on a man's head. "Samsara, you thirds great-Yaya's sister."

"I heard of Samsara, but until now, I did not know we shared blood."

"Sharing blood does not make you a monster, Queen Ephiny," Lachesis interjected.

"I'm glad that knowledge was lost. It would have followed my family to the eastern tribes. I can't imagine how much that would have changed our legacy."

"It would have indeed," Atropos dismissed her sisters back to their tasks. "Brother, your aid."

"Of course," Ares moved closer and helped Atropos pull the tapestry, and it rolled back into place.

"Let us continue," Atropos led them to a center room that was lavish and grand. Marble walls and floors decorated with fine art and gold. There before Ephiny, a large statue of Artemis surrounded by amazon warriors in fine armor. They knelt by her feet in praise and worship, "The time here is when Artemis was most involved with your people. She came to them and offered herself as their patron, they accepted, and in turn, she picked her favorites. Chosen warriors to lead their tribes into glorious battles, she promised to protect them and keep them safe from the wrath of the gods."

"She promised to protect us, but she bets our souls like coins in a game of cards." Ephiny felt her anger rise but also pain.

"No one is perfect, not even a god. We all make mistakes." Atropos tried to comfort the best she could. "Artemis regrets that choice she made, I promise you." It gave Ephiny some comfort to know that at least.

"Tell me, why am I here? Ares says you want to show me something?"

"He wants us to show you something, yes. The past that occurred after your death, I will need my sisters for this. We are almost there." They traveled a few more minutes before finding themselves in a new chamber. This style was familiar to Ephiny; the design, the feeling itself felt like home. "Your tribe starting from Queen Lucina's mother all the way to the last queen of your age."

"You mean…"

"This is your eastern tribe since its start-" Atropos trailed off, "and it's end." It was as if that sword entered her chest all over again. She failed, "Your age is gone, but your tribe has joined a new and move to a new part of the land. Do not fear for age's end but rejoice in a new age's infancy." The Fates were reunited again; they all stood together as their fingers ran across the threads once more. Ephiny stepped closer to them, and she felt the familiar presence of her sisters.

"How is this possible? If this is the past, how can I feel them like the present?"

"This thread is present, but…"

"...something that occurred…"

"...after your death." The way the Fates spoke together unsettled her; she liked it better when it was just Atropos speaking to her.

"Touch…"

"...and all will…"

"...be revealed."


End file.
